Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-08-19
THE MeTLAkAHTLA INDIANS.
o..nisal. of tn. british Columbian

Cannibals Of the British Columbian
Coast-Missionary Experience.
The two bands of savages mentioned In
this narrative were the ''medicine men,
There were three ranks-those who tore
with their teeth, or ate, human bodies,
the dog eaters, and those who had no
custom of the kind. The initiation OF
pupils into the mysteries of the medicine
men was the most important ceremony
of the Indians. During Mr.. Duncan's
first winter at Fort Simpson there were
eight or ten Of these limitations, each
party rarely instructing more than one
pupil at q time. Mr.. Duncan's descrip-
ton of this ceremony. 30 far as he was
permitted to see it, is as follows:
Early in the morning the pupils would
be out on the beach. or on the rocks, in q
state of nudity. Each had a place in
front of his own tribe; nor did intense
cold interfere in the slightest degree.
After the poor creature had crept about,
jerking his head and screaming for some
time. q party of men would rush out and.
surrounding him, would begin singing.
The dog eating party occasionally carried
a dead dog to their pupil, who forthwith
began to tear in the most dog like man
ner. The party of attendants kept up a
low, growing noise, or a whoop, which
was seconded by a screeching noise made
from an instrument which they believe
to be the abode of q spirit.
'In a little time the naked youth would
start up again, and proceed a few yards
in O crouching posture, with his arm
pushed out behind him and tossing his
flowing black hair. All the while he is
earnestly watched by the group around
him, and when he pleases to sit down
they again surround him and begin sing.
ing. This kind Of thing goes on, with
several little additions, for some time.
Before the novice finally retires he takes
a run into every house belonging to his
tribe. and is followed by his train. When
this is done, in some cases, he has a ram
BILE on the tops of the same houses, during
which he is anxiously watched by his at
tendants, as il they expected his fight.
By and by he ~condescends to come down,
and they then follow him to his den,
which is signified by a rope made of red
bark being hung over the doorway, so as
10 prevent any person from ignorantly
violating its precincts. None are allowed
to enter the house but those connected
with the art; all I know, therefore, of
their further proceedings is that they keep
up a furious hammering, singing and
s~creeching for hours during the day.
''Of all these parties, none are 30 much
dreaded as the cannibals. One morning
l was called to witness a stir in the camp
which had been caused by this set. When
l reached the gallery l saw hundreds of
Tchimpseans sitting in their canoes, which
they had just pushed away from the
beach. l was told that the cannibal
party were in search of a body to devour,
and If they failed to find a dead one il
was probable they would seize the first
living one that came in their way; 30
that all the people living neal to the can
nibals' house had taken to their canoe to
escape being torn to pieces. It is the Gus
tom among these Indians to burn their
dead; but ! suppose for such occasions
they take care to deposit a corpse some
where, in order to satisfy the inhuman
wretches. -. l. White in American
Magazine.